Amazon’s Giant Trees Absorb More Carbon, But Deforestation Jeopardizes Global Climate Buffer
Amazon’s largest trees are absorbing more carbon, keeping intact forests resilient, but mounting deforestation risks turning Earth’s biggest climate buffer into a net carbon source.
Largest Amazon Trees Growing Thicker, Boosting Carbon Storage Amid Climate Change
A new Nature study reveals that the largest trees in the Amazon rainforest are increasing their trunk diameters, enhancing their capacity to absorb carbon dioxide even as climate impacts intensify. Researchers analyzed data from hundreds of forest plots over 30 years, finding that trunk diameters grew 3.3% per decade,
improving carbon storage for key species such as Brazil nuts and kapok trees. These mature forests remain vital carbon sinks, helping mitigate rising temperatures and extreme weather.
However, the study warns that deforestation, fires, and land conversion for roads, agriculture, and settlements threaten this natural benefit. The southeastern Amazon has already become a net carbon source, releasing more CO₂ than it absorbs,
while central and western regions still maintain a balance. Scientists caution that losing another 3% of forest cover could trigger widespread dieback, massive carbon emissions, and the conversion of forests into savannahs, undermining the Amazon’s global climate role.
Conservation groups call for urgent protection of intact forest areas and Indigenous lands, as policymakers navigate the tensions between development, agriculture, and climate mitigation.
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